1.  motivation(n = noun.tops) motive, need - the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives"
is a kind of psychological feature
has particulars: life, rational motive, irrational motive, impulse, urge, ethical motive, ethics, morality, morals, mental energy, psychic energy
Derived forms verb motivate₁, adjective motivational₁

2.  motivation(n = noun.state) - the condition of being motivated; "his motivation was at a high level"
is a kind of condition, status
Derived forms verb motivate₁, adjective motivational₁

3.  motivation(n = noun.act) motivating - the act of motivating; providing incentive;
is a kind of act, deed, human action, human activity
Derived forms verb motivate₁, adjective motivational₁

1.  The act or process of motivating. [PJC]

2.  The mental process that arouses an organism to action; as, a large part of a teacher's job is to give students the motivation to learn on their own. [WordNet 1.5]

3.  The goal or mental image of a goal that creates a motivation{2}; as, the image of a peaceful world is a powerful motivation for only a rare few individuals. [PJC]